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I remember a few months ago, we were posting about pianos in movies. I went to see Score last week. It's with Deniro, Brando and Horton. Anyway, Deniro has a Steinway M (maybe smaller) I also saw Big Eden, the upright piano was TALL...taller than the guys shoulders!

In Hannible, Anthony Hopkins plays his own composed piece for the movie in a scene. His composition is also played throughout the movie.

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Glenn Gould in regards to music:

The problem begins when one forgets the artificiality of it all, when one neglects to pay homage to those designations that to our minds-to our reflect senses, perhaps-make of music an analyzable commodity. The trouble begins when we start to become so impressed by the strategies of ours systematized thought that we forget that it does relate to an obverse, that it is hewn from negation, that it is but a very small security against the void of negation which surrounds it.

Anyone ever see Five Easy Pieces? I loved that one. I got such a charge out of seeing an oil worker jump up onto a flatbed moving truck in the middle of a traffic jam and start playing the Chopin Fantasy in f minor!

netizen
1000 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/02/01
Posts: 1926
Loc: New York

Wow! Thanks for mentioning "Five Easy Pieces", I was glancing over this thread earlier and thinking I'd mention it. I too love that movie.

A piano-themed blast from the past: "Song to Remember" ( from the 40's) about the life of Frederic Chopin. An interesting movie that was nominated for several Oscars way back then. Some other interesting tidbits: Ervin Nyiregyhazi (a brilliant pianist in his own right, who sadly isn't better known) is the "stunt-pianist" for the movie (his hands double for those of the main actor). Jose Iturbi recorded much of the music --his recording of the "Heroic" Polonaise sold over a million copies. It's also the movie that inspired Liberace to adopt the candelabra as a prop.And, on the topic of Liberace, there's his movie "Sincerely Yours" in which he plays a concert pianist going deaf..or lame (I can't remember). It's a cheesy hoot. A great old bad movie: The Beast with Five Fingers. Murder, mayhem, and a concert pianist's severed hand. Plus you get Peter Lorre (creepy as ever). And, oh yea, Nyiregyhazi's hand is featured. Other movies I've enjoyed: Autumn Sonata; Impromtu; and Ken Russell's whacky "Lisztomania".

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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or thatwe are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."-- Theodore Roosevelt

I've seen Impromptu also, I enjoyed it. Liszt reminded me of Sting in that :P Anyone ever see The Five Thousand Fingers of Dr. T? It's the first (and last) Dr. Seuss movie, made around 1952. The maniacal piano teacher Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conreid) kidnaps 500 piano students and puts them in jail cells in his 'happy fingers institute' and forces them to play on this monstrous piano with a never ending keyboard. The movie has all kinds of Dr. Seuss trademarks like staircases that twist and lead nowhere, crazy gadgets, weird elevators, strange beings like these two guys rollerskating around, joined toghether by one long beard, etc.

"Madame Sousatska" is a good movie whose basic premise is that of a modest piano teacher not wanting to let her gifted student to on to bigger and better things. Something like a parent who doesn't want "to let go" when the time comes to do so.

netizen
1000 Post Club Member
Registered: 06/02/01
Posts: 1926
Loc: New York

Wasn't "Madame Sousatzka" supposedly based on the life of Isabella Vengerova?? I sort of remember reading that somewhere...

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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or thatwe are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."-- Theodore Roosevelt

Hank,I also LOVED Big Eden. The attitude of the "locals" was wonderful. This afternoon I went to see Original Sin. There were 2 "grand" scenes in it; but I couldn't identify the make. However, it contained some Schumann (Scenes From Childhood) in the wrong key, L.M. Gottschalk (Bamboula) and Granados. I quietly told my friends the names of these pieces. At the end, while watching the credits, I saw that I totally missed Berlioz. Anyway my friend Mary Jo said that if she was ever on the "Millionaire Show", she would have to have my for her 'music lifeline'. Now my question is this: After hearing Bamboula, it instantly made me think of another Gottschalk piece. But, you know what? My mind is totally blank. Can anyone think of what I'm thinking of, so I can get a peaceful night's sleep. I wouldn't want to play ANY wrong notes at church in the AM.